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Photo of the Week: Coffee Income Provides Health Insurance in Rwanda

August 17, 2012

Jackeline Mukandori is a member of the Mizero coffee farmers cooperative in Rwanda’s Nyanza district. Here, she displays the health insurance cards that she bought for her family with income from coffee. The insurance helped her get treatment for her son when he contracted malaria.

Jackeline Mukandori is a member of the Mizero coffee farmers cooperative in Rwanda's Nyanza district. Here, she displays the health insurance cards that she bought for her family with income from coffee. The insurance helped her get treatment for her son when he contracted malaria.

Through TechnoServe’s agronomy training, Jackeline learned how to apply fertilizer, prune her trees, manage pests and other critical skills for improving the quality and quantity of her coffee. As a result, yields grew from 90 kilograms in 2010 to 295 kilograms in 2011. Her profits have nearly tripled. With the extra income, Jackeline not only bought health insurance, she has been able to open a bank account and begin saving some of her profits. She also bought a cow that is providing milk for her family.